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Spanish government pledges €10.6 billion in flood relief
Devastating flash floods in Valencia have destroyed “thousands of hectares” of fruit, vegetables and vines, the region’s agricultural association reveals.
Following the flash floods that devastated the streets of Valencia last week, Spain’s government has pledged €10.6bn to help communities recover.
Video footage of cars and trucks being washed away shocked the world after a year’s worth of rain fell on parts of the region in just eight hours, with some residents having to be airlifted to safety.
The Spanish military deployed 15,000 troops to help rescue trapped people and clear debris. According to REAC, the network of road assistance companies, more than 100,000 cars have been damaged.
At the time of writing, 211 deaths had been recorded as a result of the floods.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it “one of the worst floods in Europe this century”. He added that he was aware “the response that is being given is not enough” and acknowledged “severe problems and shortages”.
One of the reasons the flooding is thought to have been so severe is the lack of rainfall Spain has received during the rest of the year, and in preceding years, which left the ground unable to absorb rainwater efficiently. The full impact of the floods on agriculture in the south of Spain is yet to be revealed. However, the Valencian Agricultural Producers’ Association has said it expects “significant damage” to the region’s crops and operations. The association told The Grocer that thousands of hectares of citrus, persimmons, vegetables, vines, and other crops have been lost.
Farm machinery has been washed away and farm and winery buildings ruined in the rains.
The agricultural areas most affected by the floods are La Ribera Alta and Baixa, L’Horta, Hoya de Buñol, Utiel-Requena, Camp de Túria, and Los Serranos.
The drinks business has contacted Foods and Wines from Spain for comment.
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